A Legacy

One fall day, my car was in the shop, waiting and hoping to jump in line for an automotive doctor to check it out.

That morning my daughter and I walked to her school. This is a rare occurrence since there's always the thought that we may not arrive in time, between my difficult morning rising and her slow walking.

But that day, we got up, got ready and strode out into the nearly dark morning.

The air was crisp and fresh. There was a bit of cold breeze that nipped our noses and ear tips. Leaves swirled over the ground around us. The yellow, red and brown leaves still clinging for their last moments to tree branches whispered and chattered to one another. Birds twittered and chirped startlingly loudly in the cedar trees. Warm kitchen lights in nearly every home urged us along our way.

We had struck out much earlier than usual so there were a lot fewer vehicles than we're used to seeing on the way to school. In each of those vehicles were people beginning their days, dropping their children off at school and daycare, heading off to work or the grocery store or other errands.

As we walked, we passed a few other people, walking to or waiting for the bus, two little girls argued cheerfully about whether this person or that person had won some sort of something...either an item or a contest. The little cool-girl words they were practicing made me smile to myself.

Soon, we arrived at school and on the edge of the school grounds, I stopped and wrapped my arms around my girl and we hugged for nearly an entire minute. This morning, I didn't want to let her go and the thought crossed my mind how strange that seemed to be since I am FAR from a morning person.

As I held her snug in my arms, I said to her, as I do every morning when I drop her off, "Be good. Work hard. Learn lots. Play nice. I love you." She replied, "Okay, Mom. Love you too," and we held on for another few moments.

As I walked home, it struck me that I'm so wise! My instructions to my daughter every morning could be the instructions for a successful life, couldn't they? I thought some more and I realized, these were things taught to me over time by my Chinese gramma who passed away some years ago, modeled to me by her actions.

Be good...stay out of trouble, involve yourself with the right crowds, give of yourself and your means, help others, do what's right.

Work hard...nothing will be handed to you if you want success, don't be lazy, have some ambition

Learn lots...always keep your mind open to learning something new and trying something new, always try to better yourself, read books, experience things

Play nice...accept others, enjoy life, appreciate everything, use your manners, give others the leeway to have a bad day

I love you...make sure that the people who matter in your life know it, know that your mom loves and values you, expect to be treated with different forms of love in all your relationships, accept no less

What a legacy my gramma left me to pass on to my kids and maybe even other special, significant people in my life.

Thank you, gramma! You made an incredible impact on my life.

Play nice, people.